- ecoflag -

*15 November 2003, NEC Cup


* The NEC Cup, a tournament for company workers in the Tokyo area, took place at the NEC Shukugawara Tennis Court (Kawasaki). At the opening ceremony, Mitsue Kato from NEC’s head office called on those gathered to get involved in collecting old tennis balls as part of the company’s local voluntary activities, known as ‘NEC Make a Difference Day’.

*Kamagawa Lifelong Learning and Information Registration Organization

* This group always flies the Ecoflag courtside whenever they play.

*21st Tokai University Open Tennis Tournament


27 August – 24 September With singles, doubles and mixed double matches, the Tokai University Open Tennis Tournament has all the hallmarks of a professional tennis event with over 20 years of tradition behind it. Keeping up with times however, the event is turning itself to addressing modern environmental problems. From this year the Ecoflag is flying and announcements made to remind the athletes of the important of protecting the environment in ensuring that the event can continue for another 20 years.

*23 September, Tennis Day/ GSA Staff


*GSA took part in this ‘Tennis Day’ event at the Ariake Tennis Mori Park. (The event is sponsored by the Tennis Day Promotion Association). Setting up a booth at the event, GSA was collecting old rackets and balls as part of its ‘reuse’ program.

*Tennis Instructors Seminar Sponsored by the Taito Ward Tennis Association

The Ecoflag was flying at this seminar held at the Riverside Sports Center in Taito Ward with information on GSA, sports and the environment included as part of the program.

*Joetsu Open



Time: 17-24 August Place: Joetsu Takada Park Tennis Court Sponsor: Joetsu Tennis Association The Ecoflag was flying again this year at the Joetsu Open.

*Waseda University Tennis Club 100 Year Anniversaryf


To celebrate its 100 years, Waseda University Tennis Club held an anniversary event against an all-American university team. Waseda put up a good fight and although the US team won, many of the games went to a tiebreaker. The Ecoflag was flying around the grounds and was coordinated with an environmental Ecoflag message delivered to those present.

*O'HANA Festival - GSA Staff


GSA Director Isao Watanabe manages this festival that mixes wheelchair and able-bodied tennis players. The event is now in its fourth year.

*Kita Kojitani Primary School's class for the hard of hearing Sadaji Fukui and Himiko Yamada


Classes have become a lot calmer and quieter since fixing tennis balls to the bottoms of tables and chairs at this school, and is helping to make the school barrier free for children with hearing difficulties.

*Kuraray Co., Ltd. Tennis Club


	Kuraray Co., Ltd Tennis Club (http://www.kuraray.co.jp/en/index.html) collects used tennis balls to donate to GSA's recycle program. The tennis ball recycle scheme is featured in the March edition of the Kuraray Times.

*Gyotoku Primary School, Koriyama city/ Ms. Noriko Minagawa


Fixing tennis balls to the bottoms of tables and chairs had been reserved to the classes for hearing-impaired children only, but now the school has expanded the program to every classroom. The classrooms are now a good deal quieter and we've had many happy reports from the children.